There have been seven different winners in the 14 previous Verizon IndyCar Series races in 018: Sebastien Bourdais (Streets of St. Petersburg), Josef Newgarden (ISM Raceway, Barber Motorsports Park and Road America), Alexander Rossi (Streets of Long Beach, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Pocono Raceway), Will Power (INDYCAR Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500), ScottbDixon (Raceway at Belle Isle-1, Texas Motor Speedway and Streets of Toronto), Ryan Hunter-Reay (Raceway at Belle Isle-2) and James Hinchcliffe (Iowa
Speedway). Dixon’s win at Toronto on July 15 was his 44th career win, which ranks third on the all-time Indy car victory list.
The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta & Valvoline will be the ninth Indy car race at Gateway Motorsports Park. Josef Newgarden won in 2017, the first Indy car race at the track since 2003. Paul Tracy won the first Indy car race at Gateway in 1997. Newgarden is the only former winner entered in this year’s race.
Three drivers have won at Gateway Motorsports Park from the pole – Juan Pablo Montoya (2000), Gil de Ferran (2002) and Helio Castroneves (2003).
Team Penske has won four times at Gateway Motorsports Park. Penske’s winning drivers are Paul Tracy (1997), Gil de Ferran (2002), Helio Castroneves (2003) and Josef Newgarden (2017). Chip Ganassi Racing has two wins at Gateway with Alex Zanardi (1998) and Juan Pablo Montoya (2000).
Sixteen drivers entered in the event have competed in past Indy car races at Gateway Motorsports Park. Tony Kanaan has five starts, most among the entered drivers. Seven entered drivers have led laps at the track (Josef Newgarden 170, Scott Dixon 78, Kanaan 21, Simon Pagenaud 13, Sebastien Bourdais 5, Will Power 5 and Max Chilton 3).
Three rookies – Pietro Fittipaldi, Matheus Leist and Zach Veach – are expected to compete. None of the rookies nor veteran drivers Gabby Chaves and Spencer Pigot has made an Indy car start at Gateway Motorsports Park.
Tony Kanaan seeks to start his 298th consecutive race this weekend, which would extend his Indy car record streak that began in June 2001 at Portland. Scott Dixon has made 238 consecutive starts heading into the weekend, which is the second-longest streak in Indy car racing. Marco Andretti has made 214 consecutive starts, which is the third-longest streak in Indy car racing.